


Evermore

by themysscira



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Beauty and the Beast Elements, F/M, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren Redemption, Prince Ben Solo, Prince Kylo Ren, Sassy Hux, Young Ben Solo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-09 23:21:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11115042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themysscira/pseuds/themysscira
Summary: A beggarly woman casts a spell on the notoriously arrogant prince Ben Solo in order to teach him a lesson. Furious at his scarred appearance, he gives into the murderous rage that had been brewing under the surface. Turning to the dark side, he destroys any memory of his past life.After Belle’s father goes missing, she takes it upon herself to track him down. There, she stumbles upon an old, derelict manor and the tale as old as time begins to unravel.





	1. The Ball

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by another unfinished fic I saw somewhere. This is my first time writing in years and I know this is terrible, so please be kind. This is unbeta'd - so sorry for any mistakes. I shall correct those in the morning.

As midnight approached, the party was in full swing. Men and women of the highest ranks and nobility filled the grand hall, guzzling on alcoholic concoctions as they danced gracefully to the upbeat tune the orchestra were playing.

Parties at the Solo manor were the epitome of opulence. If you had the fortune of attending a celebration hosted by the Solos, then that meant that you were surely of importance. They were occasions to tell your grandchildren about as no expense was spared. Especially not tonight, Han and Leia spoilt their son rotten. And rotten he became.

When Ben walked in the room, everyone’s head turned. When he talked, you listened. As he strode across the white marble floor, there was no mistaking his authority. He was the most famous prince in the galaxy and he had it all. The looks, the charm and the wit, but his wealth and notoriety had influenced him in the most negative ways.

As he became older, he became more arrogant. He began to overrule his parents. Guests were cut from the invitation list if he believed they were no longer of appropriate rank to mix with, he begun to neglect his duties towards the ordinary citizens of the town, sneering at their poverty. Although, no-one would dare test him. Not even his parents. They were all far too scared of Ben’s short and unpredictable temper to criticize his debauch behaviour.

“You know, you’ll have to marry soon,” remarked General Hux. The redhead was one of Ben’s closest confidants.

Ben grinned, taking another chug of wine straight from the bottle, his arm loosely draped around the waist of a giggling woman. Hux narrowed his eyes at her, she was what could only be described politely as ‘a lady of night’. Leia wouldn’t have approved. Ben might’ve had the mix of his parents' good looks, but he had none of their class.

The prince shook his head, still smiling, “Why would I settle for one maiden when I can have the whole galaxy?"

“Very true!” piped up Mitaka, “Marriage is the kiss of death!”  
  
“Here, here!” Ben cheered in agreement, raising his glass to the sky. Hux thought he was insufferable when drunk, claiming it clouded his judgement. Ben thought it did the opposite. Alcohol’s influence seemed to make it much clearer in his mind as to what he wanted. And right now, it was the ravishing blonde in his arms. Mary--- Or was it Mabel? It didn’t matter. He wouldn’t see her again and he certainly would not be marrying _her_.

Ben finished off the rest of the bottle and slammed it down on the floor. Smashing the glass into sharp smithereens and causing Hux to flinch in annoyance. He cackled at the look of dismay on the ginger’s face and pushed the buxom blonde towards him, “Oh, cheer up. Here, I’ll let you have Melissa for the night if that’ll stop you from scowling!”

“My name’s Magdalena!” hissed the girl, wrapping her shawl around herself and storming off into the sea of swaying people.

“Who cares? That’s not what I’m paying you for!” Ben yelled after her. He turned to Hux, “See what happens when you’re so sour.”

“No, that’s what happens when you invite the whole brothel. What were you thinking, Solo? You have such poor taste.”

“I was thinking I wanted to liven up this dull affair my parents are trying to pass off as a birthday party.” He smirked, “And careful, I could have you done for treason.”

Before Hux could reply, a servant rushed towards them. Concern was plastered on his face, “Your Highness, there’s a woman here to see you.”

Ben raised his eyebrows, his grin becoming wolfish, “A woman, you say? Well, bring her in!”

“I’m afraid that she’s not of your sort, Sir,” mumbled the servant.  
  
“And Magdalena was hardly the virgin Mary,” muttered Hux in what he was thought was under his breath. Judging by the glare that Ben shot him, he had been louder than anticipated.

Ben sighed in irritation at having his night irrupted, “Bring me to her.”

He followed the servant out of the grand hall and towards the foyer. The man pointed to a small figure kneeling just before the ornate staircase. She was hunched over, thin rags covering her body with a small hood to shield her face.

The sight infuriated him. Common folk weren’t allowed at the manor without a royal invitation. How dare this woman come here and attempt to ruin his birthday celebration with her existence? He was about to scream, but managed to subdue his anger just in time. He reminded himself that it would reflect badly on his parents if he were to hurt her. Perhaps she had good reason for her visit.

“Your Highness,” she whispered meekly sensing his presence.

Ben peered around the corner at the sound of her voice. As he hesitantly walked towards her, he winced at the smell that filled the air. The scent of mud and the sewers danced under his nostrils, he shuddered to think of the mess she’d made on the marble floor.

Once he got closer, she pulled back her hood. She was old. Her mouth stretched into a smile that revealed a gummy, toothless abyss. Limp grey strands fell from her hair and every wrinkle on her face was illuminated by the light of the chandeliers.

He cringed as he spoke, “How may I… be of service?”

“I need shelter,” she croaked, looking up at him pleadingly, “My house was destroyed in a fire and I have nowhere else to go. I thought---”

“You thought I would house you,” Ben chuckled with disbelief.

Her eyes began to brim over with tears, “I had hoped, my prince. Your parents were always so kind to their citizens of less fortune.”

“They are out of town and I am not them,” he stared her down and stretched his arm to point at the door, “Go! Leave here!”

“But, Your Highness, I have brought a gift,” her voice was desperate now. Her hands frantically dug into the pockets of her rags. She pulled out a single rose and offered it to the prince, “For you. For your birthday.”

Ben mocked her, “A rose. You think that’ll change my mind? I don’t want your petty rose. You’re nothing but a beggar, you are not worthy of the luxury of a night here.”

He turned his back, walking away and as he did so, she begun to scream. “Ben Solo!”

“Oh, what now?” he rolled his eyes, “Please, woman! Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, I will not hesitate to—”

Ben trailed off at what he saw. Her appearance had drastically changed. No longer was she a frail elderly maid. No, before him sat a beautiful goddess. Her glossy golden hair fell past her shoulders, her lips a sinful and inviting red. Her eyes glowed with fire. She smirked at his obvious surprise.

“You will not hesitate to what?” her voice sounded like a choir of angels singing, contrasting her harsh words, “You disgust me! Here, you sit on your throne, enjoying fine dining and lavish parties while your own citizens starve in squalor. Your debauched lifestyle has caused you to turn a blind eye to the suffering of your own people! The people you grow wealthy from!”

He scoffed, slowly clapping his hands, “Bravo! Top acting! Who put you up to this? You know, had I known you looked like _that_ , I would have offered you shelter in my bed…”

“Your ignorance is astounding,” her tone was ice cold, sending a shiver down his spine, “I hoped you enjoyed your celebration, Solo. For tonight, it will be the last time you will enjoy such an extravagant life.”

“My guards will not let you kill me!” he retorted, puffing out his chest in a feeble attempt to seem confident.

“Oh, no, no. Poor child, if I kill you, how will you learn? No, I think a curse would be a better fit, don’t you?”

His eyes grew wide with panic. Normally, a silly notion such as a curse would’ve had his sides splitting with laughter. Yet, her fiery eyes and the black smoke that begun to fill the room had his heart beginning to race.  
  
The smoke engulfed him. He frantically searched his surroundings, but he was enveloped in black fog as far as his eyes could see. The woman’s laugh pierced through the silence causing him to sweat in fear.

It felt as though his skin was on fire. The blood bubbling under the surface, scalding him. The pain was excruciating as it now radiated across his face. Ben clenched his fists, letting out a strangled groan as he tried to fight the pain. It wasn’t long until he doubled over, falling to the floor in front of the woman as he let out a chilling scream.

He looked up at her, brows furrowed in a silent plea for mercy. She smirked down at him in return. Her measly rags had turned into a heavenly white gown, a purple and gold cloak draped around her shoulders. The fire in her eyes had been diminished now, her irises a leafy green.  
  
“Please,” Ben managed to choke out while straining against the burning in his veins, “Please, please.”

The sorceress didn’t respond. Raising her hood and turning on her heel, she sauntered away to the sound of the prince’s cries.

Once the smoke dispersed and the pain subsided, Ben was left panting with exhaustion. The woman was nowhere to be seen having disappeared into the night. All that was left to provide evidence that she had existed and wasn't a figment of his drunken imagination was the rose lying on the marble floor.

He shakily stood to his feet, haphazardly stumbling towards the mirror in the hallway. The sight he was met with was one of nightmares. His skin was blistered all over. A striking red scar blazed from his forehead over one of his eyes. It was horrific. His breathing turned ragged as the rage started to stir within.

“Your Highness?” gasped a servant standing in the doorway. The fear in his voice was evident and it irked Ben to his core.

Snatching his gaze away from the mirror, he slowly faced the man. The sound that came from his mouth was that of an animalistic growl, “GET OUT!”

The servant was startled to the spot and when he didn’t move, Ben attacked. Spurred by his anger, he drove his fist through the mirror. His knuckles were dripping with crimson blood, but it was nothing compared to rage he felt inside.

He was on a path to destruction. Hurling the statutes of past emperors and dignitaries, tearing down the paintings that graced the walls, smashing the expensive vases, ripping apart the decorations to commemorate his birthday. What a birthday it had been.

Ben reached the grand hall. There was a collective gasp of surprise and horror from the guests as they stared at the burnt, bloody and beaten monster before them.

He stole a sword from one the guards and everything began to slow down. The blade seemed to transfer before his eyes. The cool steel turning into a fiery red glow. Anger became him. One by one, he picked off the terrified staff. Their bodies dropping to the floor, choking out blood as the life drained from them.

The remaining guests attempted to flee the manor in panic. Blood-curdling shrieks left their mouths as they clambered over one another towards any exit they could find. Ben didn’t relent, continuing his assault. It was a bloodbath.

Ben stood before the heap of bodies, the saber in his hand illuminating the now dark room.

He whirled around at the sound of footsteps. The kitchen entrance to the hall squeaked open and Hux stepped into the room. His eyes widened in alarm when he saw the massacre Ben had committed.

“What have you done?”

 


	2. A Frosty Welcome

She hadn’t paid Poe much mind when she first started working at the Resistance. Yes, she thought he was rather handsome and would blush whenever he politely complimented her work. However, after three months, his flirting was beginning to get tiresome.

Whether it was an invitation to lunch or the Christmas party, Belle had to admire his persistence.

As she made her way to the lunch hall, he was hot on her heels with his latest date proposal.

“Come on, just here me out!” he yelled after her.

Stopping at the entrance to the canteen, she spun round to face him, “You know, I’m running out of polite rejections, Poe.”

“Don’t be like that,” he casually leaned against the wall, “Belle, you and I are the best pilots here and---”

Rolling her eyes, she turned away from him and continued her pursuit for food. Poe was far better dealt with on a full stomach.

She took a seat next to Finn, a teasing grin plastered on his face as he’d already the guessed the reason for her being so irritated. Everybody who worked on the base knew that Poe had his sights set on wooing her and the envious side glances Belle received wherever she went were getting tedious.

“But you’d be the power couple of the Resistance base!” mocked Finn as they dug into their lunch.

She cringed at the notion, “Please stop! If we discuss this further, I’ll vomit.”

It’s not that she didn’t like Poe. No-one could deny that he was an exceptionally talented pilot and he was charming. Yet, his charm had earned him a reputation and there was no shortage of stories of dalliances he’d had with other colleagues. Belle was also certain she wouldn’t romance a co-worker. Those sorts of relationships were doomed to fail especially since he was basing on it the idea that he’d deemed them the most beautiful and talented employees on the base. Therefore, in his mind, they must date. An idea which sounded ridiculous to Belle. Was beauty really all that important?

Before Finn could poke fun at her dilemma one more time, Poe came racing up to the table.

“We need to talk, Belle.”

“Oh, what is it now?” she groaned loudly, “I’ve already told you no—”

He shook his head, cutting her off, “No, this isn’t about trying to get you into my bed.”

When she looked up at him, she’d almost gasped. She’d never him so serious. His lips were pulled into a tight line as opposed to his usual trademark smirk and the beads of sweat beginning to form above his brow indicated that he was nervous. He’d never been nervous in his life.

When he spoke again, his voice was void of his usual seductive and teasing tone. It was cold and serious.

“Belle, it’s about your father.”

Just like that, the world seemed to come to a grinding halt. A heavy sense of dread filled her. She could just tell from the grave look in Poe’s eyes that something terrible had happened.

“W—What is it? Is he…?”

Her eyes were wide and frantic as she stared at him, silently pleading for an answer and a hopeful one at that. His brows furrowed sympathetically, “I don’t know. We received an S.O.S. signal from his ship…”

She didn’t need to hear anymore. Wherever he was, she was going to save him.

Her mind was racing as she got back to her quarters. Fetching her cloak, she rushed over to the supply cabinet where she grabbed anything she could get her hands on that would fit in the small rucksack.

“At least, let me come with you,” Poe begged for the hundredth time, “You can’t do this alone. Where he is, Belle, no-one’s been there in years.”

That was probably why he went in the first place.

Working as a developer for the Resistance, it was his job to brainstorm new inventions that would ensure the planet’s protection from less diplomatic forces in the galaxy. Their home had been a makeshift workshop filled with blueprints and spare parts ever since she was a little girl.

A keen wanderer, he’d temporarily ceased his excursions for new materials outside of the city after what happened to her mother. Curiosity eventually won over in the end, mixed with his need to keep developing efficient and modern tech, he’d started travelling again. But he always came back. That was his promise to her. That he’d always come back.

***

Every second was pivotal. As Belle neared the location, she took a deep breath and landed the ship on a hilly bank. Winter had truly taken over this place. Every inch as far as the eye could see was covered in a thick, white blanket of snow. Even in the safety of the ship, the howling wind made her shiver as it rattled on the windows as though it was trying to get in.

When she pulled back the door, the wind hit her at full force and she huddled into the comforting warmth of her cloak for protection.

The chilly breeze nipped at her skin. It was so cold, she swore that icicles would form on her nose if she didn’t hurry. That, or her nose would fall off all together.

Her stride was shaky, her feet sinking into the soft terrain.

The sound of growling that could be heard somewhere deep in the plethora of trees surrounding her did little to ease her nerves. She began to walk quicker, wincing every time her footsteps caused the snow to crunch.

She wasn’t sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but she swore that she could see a rather large country house not too far in distance. Looking down at the device in her hand, the green icon blinked next to it signaling that she was getting closer.

Belle trekked on, reaching the manor house after what felt like hours, but had probably been mere minutes. Bringing her gloved hand up to her face, she patted at the skin and she sighed in relief that her nose was still there.

The manor was even larger and extravagant up close. Although, it looked like no-one had lived there in centuries. The windows were boarded up, no light escaped it. Several bricks were chipped and spiders spun their webs around every intricately designed nook and cranny. Despite its tarnished appearance, there was still a grand aura about the place that rendered her speechless.

Hesitantly, she made her way up the stone steps. The double doors dwarfed her and if the sheer size didn’t bewilder her, the weight of them certainly did. She pushed and pushed, but it was feeble. They wouldn’t budge.

Panic began to set in as she thought of her father. The device in her pocket began to beep frantically indicating that she was exactly boiling hot as to where he was. And he was here, inside the manor.

Frantically, she pushed again. She expected the door to continue its fight, but this time it relented with a soft creek and Belle went tumbling in.

It felt as though she was in the heart of Satan’s lair. The air was musty and thick, everything was pitch black save for a few slivers of light that escaped through the cracks in the wooden boards on the window.

The room to her left was certainly a picture of chaos. Marble busts of what she could assume were prominent figures were smashed into pieces. Sofa and silk cushions were strewn all over the place, their fine fabrics ripped to shreds. Even the wallpaper had shriveled into itself and was beginning to peel off the wall to reveal the wooden structure of the home. The ornate floral pattern was decorated by a series of slashes, some of which had pierced into the rotting wood.

Belle jumped as the flames burning in fireplace crackled and spit, snapping her out of her curious exploration and reminding her of her task. Surely, someone must be in the house if they’d taken the time to light a fire. Was it her father? Was he here sheltering from the cold?

Before Belle could proceed to leave the room, the sound of someone clearing their throat filled the eerie silence. She immediately spun around and was a met by a tall man. His skin was deathly pale as though he hadn’t seen the sun in centuries. Judging by his unkempt red hair and growing beard, she could hazard a guess that he hadn’t seen much of the outside world in years either.

“Who are you?” she asked. Her voice echoed in the large room.

He tilted his head upwards as he regarded her, “Who are _you_?”

“I asked you first.”

“Well, I live here.”

She sighed, he had a fair point. Although, there was a slight possibly he was homeless and just squatting here for refuge from the frozen abyss that was the outdoors.

However, she didn’t have time to prod the man further as a muffled growl sounded above them. The building rattled and Belle couldn’t help but let out a startled yelp, convinced that the ceiling could crumble and bury her alive any second. She looked to the man, but he seemed unfazed opting to take a seat in the tattered arm chair by the fire. Rather, he looked bored as though this was a regular occurrence.

Another growl shook the manor, followed by desperate screaming. It sounded just like…

“Dad!” she cried, kicking the cushions and other discarded obstacles of furniture blocking her path as she raced towards the door.

“I wouldn’t go up there if I were you,” the man’s monotonous voice briefly stopped her in her tracks.

As the shouting up above continued, Belle tried to hide the tears brewing in her eyes. “What’s happening to my father? What are you doing to him?”

The man chuckled, his gaze not leaving the fire, “ _I’m_ not doing anything. _He’_ s having a tantrum. It’s your father’s fault, really, he shouldn’t have come here and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave before _he_ finds out you’re here.”

“Who? Leave before who finds out I’m here?” she stared quizzically at the redhead. He wasn’t making any sense and it was beginning to frustrate her. With every thump that shook the country house, the volume of her father’s pleas increased. She was terrified to think of the sight she’d be met with. Perhaps she should’ve brought someone along. They wouldn’t have been so sidetracked by a ginger hermit and would’ve likely saved her father by now.

Her blood turned cold when the man uttered the name of his upstairs companion, “Kylo Ren.”


End file.
